Off-Season News

[32counter]

It’s official:1st it was Obi Egbuna and now it’s Sparky.UNC and Mack Brown cheery picking UR folks.

Spiders' football staff loses Sparky Woods to North Carolina

Sparky Woods spent four years on the UR staff. JOE MAHONEY/TIMES-DISPATCH▲


BY JOHN O'CONNOR Richmond Times-Dispatch
9 min ago
The University of Richmond’s football staff lost one of its most popular members Thursday, when Sparky Woods became an assistant at North Carolina. Woods, 65, is expected to be a senior aide to new Tar Heels coach Mack Brown.

Woods, the former head coach at Appalachian State, South Carolina and VMI, spent four years at Richmond. He has been a college coach for 42 years. UNC will be the 13th school at which Woods coached. He also spent a year on the New York Jets staff.


Woods last season supervised the Spiders’ running backs and helped organize special teams. He was known as a strong recruiter. During an interview with The Times-Dispatch before last season, Woods said he had no problem returning from head coach to assistant.

“I know a lot of guys, when they get to be head coaches, they don’t see themselves coming back,” Woods said. “I don’t have any hobbies. I’m a bad golfer and don’t know how to fish.

“So this is what I like to do. I hope I can keep doing it.”

As head coach at Appalachian State 1984-88, Woods led the Mountaineers to great FCS achievements. Comparable success did not follow at South Carolina (1989-93), or at VMI (2008-14), which last posted a winning record in 1981.

Former Richmond coach Danny Rocco respected what Woods did at VMI when Rocco led Liberty’s program and the Flames and Keydets regularly met in Big South Conference competition. So after Woods was asked to leave by VMI, Rocco invited Woods to UR. Russ Huesman succeeded Rocco in December of 2016, and retained Woods.

 

[32counter]

Contact period begins January 11-February 2.

Russ et al likely have visitors scheduled over the next 4 weekends as well as ringing doorbells of prospects.

 

[KE Spider]

Happy for Sparky, but a big blow for our program. He was pure gold when it came to recruiting.

 

[WebSpinner]

yep, this is not the change most of us was looking for going forward but is part of the deal.

 

[AnnapSpider]

Is this a done deal, or just speculation?

 

[32counter]

 

[MolivaManiac]

Happy for Sparky, but a big blow for our program. He was pure gold when it came to recruiting.

I concur. Sparky was a steadying hand. He will definitely be missed.

 

[32counter]

Vincent Brown is joining the WM staff as defensive coordinator after serving as Mike London’s defensive coordinator at Howard the past two seasons,

 

[DTSpider]

Believe he was LB coach during the national championship run. If he can deliver another Eric McBride we’d all be pretty darn happy.

Edit - since Brown going to W&M and not UR I certainly hope that he doesn’t deliver another Eric McBride!

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I believe we have our next Eric McBride or even Eric Johnson in our next class.

 

[72Spider]

Where did you hear that? Had read today that he was going to WM.

 

[whampas]

Where did you hear that? Had read today that he was going to WM.

Makes sense.

 

[urfan1]

This says W&M

William & Mary (FCS – VA): Vincent Brown is joining the staff as defensive coordinator after serving as Mike London’s defensive coordinator at Howard the past two seasons, Adam Rittenberg tweets.

 

[REDS1]

Its on his Twitter page. W&M the new defensive coordinator. Make sense.

 

[GKiller]

So Brown was possibly coming here instead? It would be less confusing if the original post by 32 wasn’t completely edited after the fact. Howard’s D has been very bad last couple years fwiw.

 

[32counter]

So Brown was possibly coming here instead? It would be less confusing if the original post by 32 wasn’t completely edited after the fact. Howard’s D has been very bad last couple years fwiw.

Sorry you got a wedgie.Peanut gallery critiques are always welcome.Wifi At 35,000 feet sometime misses original complete cut and paste.Keep up the meaningful contributions.

 

[32counter]

Dixie State located in Utah to join the Western Athletic Conference, play football as FCS independent.Moving up from D2 to D1.

https://www.ksl.com/article/4646469...n-i-will-join-the-western-athletic-conference

 

[32counter]

 

[32counter]

This one is for GKiller:

Villanova (FCS – PA): After 24 years, offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach Sam Venuto has decided to retire, per source. Also, defensive coordinator / linebackers coach Joe Trainer has resigned to pursue opportunities outside of coaching.

 

[32counter]

Dejon Brissett with bro Oshae after Cuse OT BBall win at Duke

 

[32counter]

 

[FrontRoyalSpider]

Dixie State located in Utah to join the Western Athletic Conference, play football as FCS independent.Moving up from D2 to D1.

https://www.ksl.com/article/4646469...n-i-will-join-the-western-athletic-conference

Dixie State located in Utah to join the Western Athletic Conference, play football as FCS independent.Moving up from D2 to D1.

https://www.ksl.com/article/4646469...n-i-will-join-the-western-athletic-conference

Even though this school is in Utah, will there be backlash over the name "Dixie"?

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

Even though this school is in Utah, will there be backlash over the name "Dixie"?

Not for the past 103 years.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Quick Summary:

Corp and Bailey left
Durden now coaching QBs
Spiders looking for tight end coach, RB coach, and defensive line coach

 

[R&B fan]

Two "scapegoat changes". Sad commentary.

 

[32counter]

1.Corp left-good move.
2. Durden now coaching QBs-good move.Never should have been with Corp.
3.Spiders looking for tight end coach, RB coach, and defensive line coach-plenty of good ones out there.
4.Coaches have to be even better recruiters.Effective Recruiting is as important as effective Coaching.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Did anyone expect changes with the OC position? Our offense looked pretty stale at times last season with some questionable play calls

 

[32counter]

Did anyone expect changes with the OC position? Our offense looked pretty stale at times last season with some questionable play calls

No.Didnt expect it.Legg remaining is a big surprise.He handled DBs for Braithwaite.

 

[KBBFL]

Huge blow losing Coach Bailey, for much of the last two seasons the defensive line performing well was the only sure thing on the field.

 

[R&B fan]

17, OC is a major problem.

 

[32counter]

Huge blow losing Coach Bailey, for much of the last two seasons the defensive line performing well was the only sure thing on the field.

Agree 100%.Something else going on here with this decision.



Bailey’s been around so he’ll land on his feet.

West Virginia (GA)
1995–1997 VMI (DE)
1998 Louisiana–Lafayette (LB)
1999–2002 Louisiana–Lafayette (DT)
2003 Middle Tennessee (DL)
2004 Oklahoma State (DL)
2005–2006 Minnesota (DL)
2007–2010 Howard (HC)
2012–2013 Lamar (DL)
2012 July–August Atlanta Falcons (LB Intern)
2014–2016 Lamar (AHC DL ST)
2015 July–August New York Giants (LB Intern)
2016 January–December Chattanooga Mocs (DL)
2016 December-Present Richmond Spiders (DL)

 

[Spidermaniac]

Huge blow losing Coach Bailey, for much of the last two seasons the defensive line performing well was the only sure thing on the field.

+1

 

[32counter]

Bucknell coach out.Could he show up here as an assistant(RB,TE,DL)?Obviously knows Hardt,knows Mid Atlantic recruiting,exposed to high academic requirements.HC record awful.

https://bucknellbison.com/news/2019...l-assume-role-in-department-of-athletics.aspx

Bucknell offers:

https://bucknell.247sports.com/Season/2019-Football/Offers/

 

[MolivaManiac]

Bailey leaving is definitely a surprise to me. I thought there was some major progress on our defensive line this year. Having Mo Jackson switch positions and play at an all conference level ... and have Darius Reynolds improve in the manner he did ... both seemed to be notches in Bailey's belt.

I feel bad for Aaron Corp and hope he lands on his feet somewhere else. The problem i see is that Durden and Corp weren't a great fit. Durden running his crazy spread offense and Corp having experience as a traditional Pro-Style Quarterback.

Personally, i like the idea of having the Pro Style offense here instead of the Spread. We will never get the same athletes as JMU, so why should we try to emulate them with the system?

 

[Spiderconvict18]

Bailey leaving is definitely a surprise to me. I thought there was some major progress on our defensive line this year. Having Mo Jackson switch positions and play at an all conference level ... and have Darius Reynolds improve in the manner he did ... both seemed to be notches in Bailey's belt.

I feel bad for Aaron Corp and hope he lands on his feet somewhere else. The problem i see is that Durden and Corp weren't a great fit. Durden running his crazy spread offense and Corp having experience as a traditional Pro-Style Quarterback.

Personally, i like the idea of having the Pro Style offense here instead of the Spread. We will never get the same athletes as JMU, so why should we try to emulate them with the system?

Mo, any predictions/hopes for who will succeed Corp and Bailey. I also agree that Legg has to go but don't see this being likely with the departure of Sparkey.

 

[MolivaManiac]

Mo, any predictions/hopes for who will succeed Corp and Bailey. I also agree that Legg has to go but don't see this being likely with the departure of Sparkey.

i'm not knowledgeable enough for prediction like that.

Spider Football Axiom: Dave Legg survives all coaching changes.

 

[DTSpider]

Dave Legg = Chris Mooney (less $1M/year)

 

[WolfSpider]

I’m hearing Bailey is leaving because he took a coaching job in the CFL.

 

[Spiderconvict18]

I’m hearing Bailey is leaving because he took a coaching job in the CFL.

Tough pill to swallow as a spider, but well deserved on his end. Whoever gets the nod will be blessed with two studs in Ritten and Jackson. The spring will be interesting with all the coaching and personnel changes. The key will be for the returning players to attack everything with a nasty taste in their mouth.

 

[32counter]

Tough pill to swallow as a spider, but well deserved on his end. Whoever gets the nod will be blessed with two studs in Ritten and Jackson. The spring will be interesting with all the coaching and personnel changes. The key will be for the returning players to attack everything with a nasty taste in their mouth.

Personally think it’s of tantamount importance that we sign a QB graduate transfer.We now have 4 QBs( 2 RsJr ,RSFr,Fr).
We need solid experience.Toward the end of 2018 our QB play was suspect although Chenault engineered a W v Tribe with mandated conservative play calling.

We’ve signed 14 plus 2 recent verbal commits for a total of 16.
Another 4- 6 is very likely between now and Feb 6th which will hopefully include at least 1 OL and 1 RB and maybe 1 TE.